Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
New York City, Nursing, Nuts and other words that start with “N”
NEW YORK CITY
What do you know about it?
Do you want to live there?
If you visited, what would you go see?
Is it the greatest city in the world?
Does every other city try to be like New York City?
A singer said about New York: "If I can make it there, I'd make it anywhere!" What did he mean?
What Chinese city is China's New York?
NURSING
What do nurses do?
Do you like nurses?
Do nurses make great wives?
NUTS
Do you like to eat nuts?
What nuts do you eat?
Are you nuts? (explain the two usages of the word.)
What is the nuttiest thing you have ever seen?
What is the nuttiest thing you have ever done?
Who is the nuttiest person you know? Famous or in your life. Why?
Have students brainstorm other words that start with N. Ask questions about the words. Have the students ask questions with the words.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
ESL Discussion Questions about Noise
What is noise? Is all sound noise? Is all sound noisy? Is noise a good thing or a bad thing?
What is the opposite of noise? Which do you prefer?
Someone says that music is noise. What do they mean?
Finish these sentences: Noise is __________. Noise makes me________. Noise _________ me.
How can we describe some noises?
What noises do you hear everyday?
Where is the most noisy place in your life?
Where is the most noisy place in Wuxi? China? The World?
Who are the most noisy people you know?
Are noisy people rude and inconsiderate?
Is there a noise that you really can't stand?
What noises annoy you?
Is there a sound you like but others consider to be noise?
Is there a noise that you give you nightmares? The worst noise you ever heard?
What noises will make you feel fear?
What can you do to be very noisy right now?
Can noise be a weapon?
What noises can embarrass us?
What do you do when people are making noise near you?
What do you do when your neighbours are making noise?
When is the proper time to be noisy? Where is the proper place to be noisy?
What can we do about noise? What can we wear to stop or reduce noise?
What effects can too much noise have on us?
Is Wuxi a noisy place? Is Wuxi noisier than in the past? Why? Why not?
Noise idioms and expressions:
Empty vessels make the most noise.
Someone is making noise.
Everyone! Let's make some noise!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
ESL Discussion Questions about Mobile Phones
What brand name of mobile phone do you use?
What can you do with your Mobile phone?
What do you mostly do with your mobile phone?
What is your favourite mobile phone function? Do you have a phone with many functions or do you have a phone with basic functions?
What functions would you like your phone to have?
What are the new functions on you latest mobile phone? (touchscreen?)
What are some of the annoyances of your mobile phone?
What image do you use as your wallpaper?
What do you think mobile phones will be like in fifty years? Will computers/televisions/phones be all together in one device?
What is your ring tone?
Which do you prefer: the clamshell/flip phone or the candybar/block phone?
When did you get your first mobile phone?
Can you imagine a time when people didn't have mobile phones?
Ask the students if they ever experienced crank phone calls.
When in life should a person have his/her own mobile phone? (What age?)
Where do you put your mobile phone? Is your mobile phone always with you? Do you have your mobile beside you when you sleep?
Where do you shop for mobile phones?
Who did you make your first mobile phone call to?
Who do you always call with your mobile phone?
Do you answer your phone if you don't know who is calling?
Why are I-phones so popular? Do you have an I-phone? Do you want to buy an I-phone? Are other phones just as good?
Why do I see people on the street selling old mobile phones?
Do you go to use mobile phone shops?
How do you choose to buy a new mobile phone? Do you need it to look "cool"? Does it have to be a popular brand name?
How many mobile phones have you had in your life?
How long have you used your current mobile phone?
How long should you expect to use a mobile phone for?
Do you decorate your mobile phone? How do you decorate your mobile phone? Is a mobile phone a fashion accessory like a purse?
How do you customize your phone?
How do you feel if you don't have your mobile phone with you?
How have mobile phones changed our lives?
How long can you use your mobile phone between recharges?
Have you ever had your mobile phone stolen?
Thursday, February 16, 2012
A Golden Age
There is good eating to be had around my school. I'd say that when it comes to there being good eating around the school, that it is now a golden age.
Near the school, there is a good Japanese Restaurant, a good noodle and rice restaurant, an 85 bakery, McDonald's, KFC, Dico's Chicken, Buddy Chicken, and the Trattoria Ferarrara Italian Restaurant.
At the Italian Restaurant, I can get a drink, a small pizza and an order of fries for 14 rmb!!!
ESL Discussion Questions about the Moon
The Moon
What is it?
What does it mean to moon someone?
Do you look at the moon? Did you ancestors look at the moon? Why? Why not?
Do you like to look at the moon? Have you looked at the moon through a telescope? What did you see?
What images come to mind when you think of the moon?
What do you know about the moon?
What significance does the moon have for people? For Chinese culture?
What would happen if the moon disappeared?
What are the phases of the moon?
What does the moon cause? What are some effects that of the moon that we can see?
Do people act crazily on the night of a full moon?
When did America go to the moon?
When will China go to the moon?
Where to live on the moon?
Where can you see the moon in your hometown?
Who has gone to the moon?
Who is on the moon now (according to legend)?
Why go to the moon?
Why haven't we been to the moon for forty years?
How to get to the moon? Would you like to go to the moon?
Do you think that humans will one day live on the moon?
An American politician talked of establishing a moon base? Was he crazy?
Did the Americans really go the moon?
Do you prefer the moon or the sun?
Are there many popular songs written about the moon?
Moon expressions and idioms
ask for the moon
once in a blue moon
promise someone the moon
many moons ago
to reach for the moon
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
ESL Discussion Questions about Romance
Romance
What?
What is romance? Is romance a feeling or an idea?
What does it mean to be romantic? What is romantic ? What things symbolize romance?
What does it mean to romanticize?
What are we doing when we are romantic?
What does Confucius say about romance? What about Chairman Mao?
What do women want from romance? Men?
What were the famous romances of history or legend or story?
When?
When during the week do you feel romantic? Best day of the week for romance?
Were you romantic today? Can we be romantic everyday?
When in our lives are we romantic?
Does the romance stop after marriage? Marriage without love means love with marriage?
When was the most romantic day of your life?
Is getting a wedding license romantic?
Where?
Where can we be romantic? Where do people go to be romantic?
Where are the romantic places in Wuxi, China, the World?
Where can we go to find romance?
Does romance come from the brain or the heart?
Who? Whose?
Who can we be romantic with? Can we be romantic about things, ideas or places?
Are you romantic? Why? Why not?
Is romance more for females than males?
Who takes the initiative in romance?
Why?
Why are we romantic? Are animals romantic? Is romance a recent idea? Were people wanting romance a thousand years ago?
How?
How to find romance?
How to find romance in our everyday lives?
What things do we do during romance? We flirt, sigh, coo, act coy, kiss, adore, worship, sing, recite lyrics,...
A good romance is _______________________.
ESL Discussion Questions about Memory
What is memory?
What are memories?
What does it mean to remember?
What is the opposite of to remember?
What does it mean to memorize?
What does it mean to remind?
Do you have a good memory?
What would life be like if you had a perfect memory?
Are you good at remembering names?
Do you see people and recognize them but you can't place them?
Can you read a page once and remember everything?
Can you remember what you did last week? Last year at this date?
Are you always forgetful? Do you always forget things?
What do you do to remind yourself or to remember things?
Do you believe in suppressed memories? (Explain suppressed memories to the students.)
What are some dates that we need to remember?
What is something you always forget to do?
Do you sometimes put a thing down and then forget where you put it?
Does a memory come into your mind for no reason?
What is your first memory?
What is your best memory?
What is your worst memory?
What is your funniest memory?
What is your best memory of growing up?
What is your best memory from school?
What is a day you will always remember?
Finish this sentence: I will never forget the day that I heard the news of _______________________.
Idioms about memories:
Commit to memory.
If memory serves me correctly
In recent memory.
Jog someone's memory.
In memory of ___________.
Know something by memory.
Know something by heart.
Take a trip down memory lane.
Have a memory like an elephant.
Refresh your memory.
ESL Discussion Questions about Mathematics
Mathematics
What is it?
Do you like it? Why? Why not?
Are numbers romantic? Are numbers magical?
Do you have a head for numbers?
How do you feel about Math?
Were you good at Math in school? Did you like your math teachers?
Do you have a math horror story?
If I gave you a math book, what would you do with it?
Finish this sentence: People who like math are __________________.
Is math something that only men can do? Are women good at math?
Do you use math everyday?
Are you superstitious about numbers?
What are your favourite and least-favourite numbers?
I want to be number ___________.
I want to wear number ____________.
My birthday is 12/24/64 12+24+64=100.
What do these numbers make you think of: 13,65,89,94,60,35,23,7,118,21400
Can you use an abacus?
Can you do calculations in your head?
Quantify your goals. e.g. I want to have ________ girlfriends.
Would you rather be a name or a number? Why?
Do these math problems orally: 3+3, 12-3, 8x3, 123+245, 50/2, 1/3 of 33, 3.2+1.1, 898x1, 9321+1
How many zeroes in a million.
Are there differences between Chinese Numbers and English Numbers?
Expressions
You do the Math.
Back to square one.
Divide it 50-50.
Do a number on someone.
Dressed to the nines.
I feel like a million dollars
One and all.
One and only.
One in a million
Your number is up.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Asides and Coincidences
Funny thing. I recently finished reading Lord Acton'sLectures about the French Revolution in Epub format on my Ipod as well as finished listening to a five hour Hardcore History Podcast about the Fall of the Roman Republic. On Friday, the topics came up in class with my students.
A female student was reading a book about a family of executioners that lived in France from 1688 to 1847. I noticed the book and it got us to talking about the French Revolution.
Another student, this one male, told me his favourite movie was Cleopatra. This lead to us talking about Julius Caesar, Marc Anthony and Cleopatra. The student was keen to know about this stuff.
These little asides are what make teaching fun.
Friday, February 3, 2012
ESL Discussion Questions about Legs
Legs
What are they? Why do we have them?
What can we do with our legs?
How many do you have? Do you wish you had more legs?
What are some parts of the leg? Feet, knees, thighs, calves, shin, hips, ankles, toes, heel.
Do you like your legs? How would you describe your legs?
Do you think you have good-looking legs?
She has shapely legs. What does this mean?
Who has better looking legs? Men or Women? Why?
Ladies! Do you want your husband to have nice looking legs? What do women want male legs to look like?
Guys! Do you want your wife to have nice looking legs? What do men want female legs to look like?
Who has the most beautiful legs?
Who has the most famous legs? Whose legs would be insured for lots of money?
In what occupations, are your legs important?
Finish this sentence: Good-looking legs are ________________.
What can we do to make our legs look better?
Should men shave their legs?
Do women's legs look better when they wear high heel shoes?
Do you cross your legs? Is it okay for men to cross their legs? Why do women cross their legs?
Have you ever hurt your legs? Have you broken your leg?
Do you get leg cramps? What do you do if you have leg cramps?
You must choose between having only legs or having only arms? Which would you choose? Why?
A famous song called "Legs" says the following: She has got legs. She knows how to use them. What do you think that means?
Idioms (What do you think they mean?)
He has a leg up on me. (advantage)
Break a leg! (good luck!)
The machine is on its last legs.
It is going to cost you an arm and a leg.
You are pulling my leg!
Shake a leg! (a command to move or move faster)
It is the first leg of our trip.
After we robbed the bank, we had to leg it.
He doesn't have a leg to stand on. (you have no case or no proof)
This idea has legs.
I need to get out of the car and stretch me legs.
The man walked away with his tail between his legs. (he was embarrassed or full of shame)
Nice Legs. Shame about her face.
He puts his pants on, one leg at a time. (Ask students if they put their legs on, one pant at a time)
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